Kim Jong-un orders 30 officials to be executed over North Korea flood: Report

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has reportedly ordered the execution of 20 to 30 officials for their alleged failure to prevent severe flooding and landslides this past summer, which resulted in the deaths of approximately 4,000 people, according to South Korean media.

TV Chosun reported that the officials were charged with corruption and dereliction of duty, leading to their execution. “It has been determined that 20 to 30 cadres in the flood-stricken area were executed at the same time late last month,” an official under Kim’s regime told the outlet.

The reports of these executions have not yet been independently verified. However, earlier, the North Korean Central News Agency had reported that Kim ordered authorities to “strictly punish” officials following the catastrophic flooding in Chagang Province in July, which also displaced more than 15,000 people, The New York Times reported.

While the executed officials were not named, the report mentioned that Kang Bong-hoon, who had served as the Chagang Province Provincial Party Committee Secretary since 2019, was among those dismissed by Kim during an emergency meeting held during the disaster.

Following this meeting, former North Korean diplomat Lee Il-gyu told TV Chosun that officials in the province were “so anxious that they don’t know when their necks will fall off”.

Last month, Kim was seen inspecting the damaged areas and interacting with residents, estimating that it would take months to rebuild the devastated neighborhoods. He also refuted South Korean reports on the death toll, denying that thousands had perished.

This isn’t the first time Kim has reportedly ordered executions over perceived failures. In 2019, there were reports that Kim Hyok Chol, North Korea’s nuclear envoy to the US, was executed for failing to secure a summit between Kim and then-US President Donald Trump. However, it was later revealed that Chol was merely in state custody.

North Korea has a history of public executions, with an average of 10 executions conducted annually before the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Korea Times. The outlet estimates that the number surged last year, with at least 100 executions reported.